Kevin Hamilton & Celeste Grier-Johnathan Tabbed as Iona's Honorees in 2014 MAAC Honor Class
MAAC Sports
Edison, N.J. – Iona College has added Kevin Hamilton and Celeste Grier-Johnathan to the 2014 MAAC Honor Roll Class. Hamilton and Grier-Johnathan will be enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the “MAAC Experience” exhibit and will be honored during the MAAC Basketball Championships on Saturday, March 8 on the Hall’s Court of Dreams.
Iona College men’s basketball has a reputation for producing outstanding shooters, and Kevin Hamilton was one of the best. Hamilton ended his career as Iona’s all-time fourth leading scorer with 1,412 points, and his .883 free throw percentage during the 1976-77 season still ranks among the best in the Iona annals. The 6-3 guard enjoyed an outstanding four-year career that helped elevate the Gaels’ program into the national spotlight. The standout from North Babylon High School helped lead Iona to an 84-31 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1979, Hamilton poured in a career-high 37 points in a win over Pittsburgh, at the time the ninth-best single-game performance in Iona history. During his senior season, Hamilton scored 32 points against Georgetown before a nationally-televised audience on NBC’s “Game of the Week.” Hamilton was chosen in the 4th Round of the 1980 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics.
One of the top players in the history of Iona women’s basketball, Celeste Grier-Johnathan helped the Gaels to a pair of Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Regional Final appearances (the AIAW was the forerunner of the NCAA for women’s intercollegiate competition). She averaged 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds for the Gaels, who compiled a 59-52 record during her career, including a 19-10 mark her freshman season. Known as Celeste Grier during her playing days, she tallied 1,441 points and shot 43.4 from the field. She hauled down 737 rebounds and also dished off 249 assists. Known as a selfless player, Celeste poured in a career high 28 points in a 72-56 win over New York Tech in the ’79-’80 season.
The MAAC Honor Roll is part of the 600 square foot “MAAC Experience” display at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. Each year one honoree selected by the MAAC Council of Presidents joins one male and one female honoree from each of the 11 MAAC institutions. The 23-member 2014 induction class will be enshrined to the MAAC Honor Roll on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Court of Dreams. The Honorees’ names will be added to the “MAAC Experience” exhibit. Additionally, each honoree will be profiled in the 2014 MAAC Basketball Championships game program and will also be featured in a video display at The MAAC Experience available for viewing by the general public. Lastly, the honorees will also be recognized at halftime of the 9:00p.m. MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship quarterfinal on Saturday, March 8.
The complete 2014 MAAC Honor Roll Class:
|
MAAC Honoree:
|
Brad Tracy
|
|
|
|
School
|
Male Honoree
|
Female Honoree
|
|
Canisius
|
Frank Swiatek
|
Dr. Ellen Conley
|
|
Fairfield
|
George Bisacca
|
Dianne Nolan
|
|
Iona
|
Kevin Hamilton
|
Celeste Grier-Johnathan
|
|
Manhattan
|
Luis Flores
|
Marianne Reilly
|
|
Marist
|
Mike Hart
|
Julianne Viani
|
|
Monmouth
|
Ron Kornegay
|
Joan Martin
|
|
Niagara
|
Juan Mendez
|
Joan Thornton
|
|
Quinnipiac
|
Keith Gaither
|
Patricia Hayes
|
|
Rider
|
Jack Madden
|
Kelly Eckardt Zawodny
|
|
Saint Peter’s
|
Don Kennedy
|
Tonya Grant
|
|
Siena
|
Billy Harrell
|
Lisa (Serafino) Ruggiero
|